Femoral hernias

Femoral hernias are about four times more common in women than men, and can affect women of any age. Apart from sex and age, femoral hernias have similar risk factors to inguinal hernias.

Incisional hernias

Incisional hernias can develop as a complication of abdominal surgery. The risk of an incisional hernia developing after surgery will vary depending on the type of surgery involved.

Umbilical hernias

Umbilical hernias are very common in infants, particularly in black infants. The reasons why they tend to affect black infants more are unclear.

In 9 out of 10 cases, an umbilical hernia will get better without treatment as a child gets older.

Hiatus hernias

Hiatus hernias are common, affecting up to 1 in 10 people.

They do not always cause symptoms, although in some people they can cause heartburn (pain or discomfort in the chest that usually occurs after eating).

Assessing and treating hernias

A hernia will often be assessed using an ultrasound scan, which uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of part of the inside of the body.

In many cases, hernias cause no (or very few) symptoms. However, there is a chance that a hernia could:

cause an obstruction in the bowel

interrupt the blood supply to the herniated tissue (known as a strangulated hernia)

Both are medical emergencies. If they occur, you should go immediately to the accident and emergency (A&E)department of your nearest hospital.

Due to potential risks associated with these complications, surgery to repair a hernia is usually recommended.

The exceptions to this are umbilical hernias, which usually get better on their own, and hiatus hernias, which are sometimes initially treated with medication. In some cases, surgery is also needed for hiatus hernias.